curtin learning and teaching - pubr3000 contemporary...

Unit study package code: PUBR3000

Mode of study: Internal

Tuition pattern summary: Note: For any specific variations to this tuition pattern and for precise information refer to the Learning Activities section.

Seminar: 1 x 3 Hours Weekly

This unit does not have a fieldwork component.

Credit Value: 25.0

Pre-requisite units: 10851 (v.0) Media Relations 250 or any previous version OR PUBR2000 (v.0) Transmedia Storytelling or any previous version

Co-requisite units: Nil

Anti-requisite units: Nil

Result type: Grade/Mark

Approved incidental fees: Information about approved incidental fees can be obtained from our website. Visit fees.curtin.edu.au/incidental_fees.cfm for details.

Unit coordinator:

Title: MsName: Lydia GallantPhone: +61 8 9266-3887Email: [email protected]: Building: 408 - Room: 2012Consultation times: please phone or email to arrange an appointment

Teaching Staff:

Administrative contact: Name: Kelly Nowak Phone: +61 8 9266 3882Email: [email protected]: Building: 408 - Room: 2014

Learning Management System: Blackboard (lms.curtin.edu.au)

Unit Outline

PUBR3000 Contemporary Practice Semester 1, 2017

Curtin Business School (CBS)School of Marketing

PUBR3000 Contemporary Practice Bentley Campus 22 Feb 2017 School of Marketing, Curtin Business School (CBS)

Page: 1 of 17CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

The only authoritative version of this Unit Outline is to be found online in OASIS

http://fees.curtin.edu.au/incidental_fees.cfm

http://lms.curtin.edu.au/

Acknowledgement of Country We respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous Elders, custodians, their descendants and kin of this land past and present. The Centre for Aboriginal Studies aspires to contribute to positive social change for Indigenous Australians through higher education and research.

Syllabus Examines the role of public relations from an organisational perspective, with a focus on contemporary best industry practice; covering ethics, consultancy practice, stakeholder management, corporate social responsibility, change management, issues communication and government relations. This is the classroom based capstone unit of the PR major, providing students with the professional and personal skills needed to succeed in a competitive and challenging business environment.

Introduction PUBR3000 covers contemporary corporate communication/public relations practice. It is a capstone unit, which will draw on your previous study of the subject.

Public relations (also known as corporate communication) has grown exponentially in recent times to become one of the most influential fields in contemporary society. Public relations specialists are skilled communicators who help business and political leaders, corporations and NGOs both to get their message across in the ‘court of public opinion’ – and to respond appropriately to their social environment.

The maturing of corporate social performance as a management discipline has shifted the public relations function from ‘nice to have’ to ‘core business’. Contemporary stakeholder strategy and corporate sustainability management are firmly anchored in the view that companies and society are interdependent. Public relations professionals are the legitimate boundary spanners between the organisation and its social environment, bringing the views of stakeholders into organisational decision-making.

This unit is designed to prepare you for practice. We look at current and emerging approaches to various key corporate communication practice areas such as community engagement; employee and change communication; issues and crisis management; stakeholder and corporate reputation management; and public affairs. We also focus on contemporary issues or challenges affecting corporate communication practice, such as the emergence of the social bottom line and concepts associated with corporate social performance. We consider life as a corporate communication practitioner - in consultancy and 'in-house' - and focus on the strategy-making and creativity involved in corporate communication planning.

The unit is a meld of theory - and practically applicable information offered through case studies and hands-on workshop activities.

In all the public relations units we promote use of Twitter to share information about what is happening in our industry. We encourage all Curtin PR students to use Twitter and follow @CurtinPRdegree to share and discuss any topic relating to PR. We also have hashtags for unit content so please share your findings and be part of the conversation #CurtinPRdegree. The hashtag #PRContemporary is used for 3rd year undergraduate and PostGraduate Contemporary Practice PR units.

You may choose to accept an invite to join the Curtin PR Contemporary Practice Facebook page, which is set up for your own benefit to share relevant ideas and information, or ask questions, in your peer group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CurtinPRContemporaryPractice/.

Curtin Business School (CBS) School of Marketing




http://karda.curtin.edu.au/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/CurtinPRContemporaryPractice/

Unit Learning Outcomes All graduates of Curtin University achieve a set of nine graduate attributes during their course of study. These tell an employer that, through your studies, you have acquired discipline knowledge and a range of other skills and attributes which employers say would be useful in a professional setting. Each unit in your course addresses the graduate attributes through a clearly identified set of learning outcomes. They form a vital part in the process referred to as assurance of learning. The learning outcomes tell you what you are expected to know, understand or be able to do in order to be successful in this unit. Each assessment for this unit is carefully designed to test your achievement of one or more of the unit learning outcomes. On successfully completing all of the assessments you will have achieved all of these learning outcomes.

Your course has been designed so that on graduating we can say you will have achieved all of Curtin's Graduate Attributes through the assurance of learning process in each unit.

Curtin's Graduate Attributes

Learning Activities Learning in this unit is centred around weekly, interactive seminars with a strong focus on hands-on participation and student contribution to discussions.

The format for the seminars is the delivery of a presentation with opportunities to reflect on and discuss the subject matter - including interactive workshops, group discussion and/or review of case studies and readings.

Case based learning is a primary activity in Contempoirary Practice seminars. To make the most of these experiences for yourself and your peers in classroom discussions (which will centre on objectives and solutions after the basic information in a case has been reviewed before class), complete the required readings for case studies and any additional materials.

PowerPoint presentations are available on Blackboard for preparation and review of seminar material - these downloads are NOT a substitute for attending seminar. You are required to attend and participate actively and constructively in class discussions on a regular basis.

By participating actively in seminars, you will start to build a real understanding of public relations and greatly

On successful completion of this unit students can: Graduate Attributes addressed

1 Analyse the role of corporate communication management in modern organisations, with particular reference to issues and crises, CL5

2 Evaluate the concepts of corporate reputation, branding, image, identity and integrated

communication and their application to real life organisational settings 3 Analyse the social responsibilities of organisations in their interactions with stakeholders

4 Incorporate academic writing, presentation and communication skills at an appropriate

level for beginning Public Relations professionals

Apply discipline knowledge Thinking skills (use analytical skills to solve problems)

Information skills (confidence to investigate new ideas)

Communication skills Technology skillsLearning how to learn (apply principles learnt to new situations) (confidence to tackle unfamiliar problems)

International perspective (value the perspectives of others)

Cultural understanding (value the perspectives of others)

Professional Skills (work independently and as a team) (plan own work)

Find out more about Curtin's Graduate attributes at the Office of Teaching & Learning website: ctl.curtin.edu.au





http://ctl.curtin.edu.au/

enhance your chances of achieving a high mark for the unit. Discussion and active participation is vital. Remember that in order to participate effectively, adequate preparation is essential.

Each week you are required to visit Blackboard and complete all pre-seminar activities, download and review each lecture, attend seminar fully prepared, participate actively and constructively in class, and then complete post-seminar activities in preparation for the next week.

Check Blackboard at least weekly before and after seminar, to prepare and complete tasks. Follow instructions in each week's Learning Module.

Homework tasks may be explained the week before, or on Blackboard, or in the seminar. Attend all seminars.

Seminars are not recorded and content delivered in class will vary to the published "lecture slides" in some weeks in order to allow for the flow of student discussion to organically develop the focus at any point.

A variety of resources may be accessed on the unit's Blackboard site. You should check Blackboard regularly (minimum weekly) for announcements and new information.

Remember that in order to participate effectively, adequate preparation is essential. Make sure you have completed the set readings and any other tasks as directed by your lecturer prior to your weekly class. You should also keep abreast of current affairs and be prepared to discuss issues currently in the news and to brainstorm public relations strategies. You are encouraged to join the Curtin PR Contemporary Practice Facebook page, which is set up for your own benefit to share relevant ideas and information, or ask questions, in your peer group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CurtinPRContemporaryPractice/.





https://www.facebook.com/groups/CurtinPRContemporaryPractice/

Learning Resources Library Reading List

The Reading List for this unit can be accessed through Blackboard.

Essential texts

The required textbook(s) for this unit are:

l Required: Cornelissen, Joep. 2014. Corporate Communication: A Guide to Theory and Practice. 4 ed. London: SAGE Publications. Original edition, 2004.

(ISBN/ISSN: 978-1-4462-7495-8)

Recommended texts

You do not have to purchase the following textbooks but you may like to refer to them.

l Black, Caroline. 2014. The PR Professional’s Handbook. 1 ed. London: SAGE Publications. (available at eLibrary, Curtin)

(ISBN/ISSN: 978-0-7494-6842-2)

Other resources REQUIRED **** The Reading List for this unit is available at https://curtin.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/leganto/readinglist/lists/3995935870001951 ****

Online Resources

The following is a selection of some of the key journals in the field. All are available via the library’s scholarly electronic databases. Students are expected to make extensive use of these and other relevant references in preparing assignments.

Corporate Communications: An International Journal www.emeraldinsight.com/journal/ccij

Corporate Reputation Review www.springer.com/business+%26+management/journal/41299

International Journal of Strategic Communication www.tandfonline.com/loi/hstc20

Journal of Communication Management www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=jcom

Journal of Marketing Communications www.tandfonline.com/loi/rjmc20

Journal of Public Affairs http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1479-1854

Journal of Public Relations Research www.tandfonline.com/loi/hprr20

Public Relations Review www.journals.elsevier.com/public-relations-review

A variety of resources may be accessed on the unit’s Blackboard site. You should check Blackboard regularly during the semester for updates.





https://curtin.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/leganto/readinglist/lists/3995935870001951

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journal/ccij

http://www.springer.com/business+%26+management/journal/41299

http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/hstc20

http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=jcom

http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rjmc20

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1479-1854

http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/hprr20

http://www.journals.elsevier.com/public-relations-review

Assessment Assessment schedule

Detailed information on assessment tasks

1. Professional Skills Development

Weighting: 25%

l Participation and engagement: 10% l Blog post and comments: 15%

Due date: ongoing

Participation and engagement:

It is important to read the textbook and prepare for every class in order to actively participate. The Professional Skills Development components are designed for you to become an active learner and supportive of peers in a professional context.

l Active and constructive in-class participation: 5%

If you are not present in a tutorial for a number of weeks, the participation mark logically will be “0”. You must be present to participate actively and constructively to discussions. Come prepared to tutorial having read through and completed pre-seminar activities as applicable to each week's Learning Module (see Blackboard - Teaching Weeks 1-12).

Preparation includes following daily news events with a specific focus on how organisations relate to and are represented in the media. The weekly preparation schedule is available on Blackboard and in this Unit Outline with pre-readings and seminar activities uploaded to each relevant “Learning Module” folder: most modules include sub-folders for lecture slides, seminar activities and post-seminar activities (to prepare for the next week). If you have any queries about the participation assessment, please ask your local lecturer or unit coordinator. Check back often as new materials are uploaded regularly.

Task Value % Date DueUnit Learning Outcome(s)

Assessed

1

Professional Skills Development 25 percent Week: Ongoing - you will select a week to present & blog Day: Every seminar Time: During seminar

1,2,3

2

Contemporary Issues Analysis 40 percent Week: Part 1. Wk 5 | Part 2. Wk 6 Day: Part 1. Mon 27 March | Part 2. Mon 3 April Time: Parts 1 & 2: 5pm upload to Turnitin

2,3,4

3

Issue Tracking & Response Report 35 percent Week: Weeks 11 & 12 Day: Part 1. Tues 23 May | Part 2. Tues 30 May Time: Parts 1 & 2 in-class | Report due Fri 2 June (TII)

1,2,3,4





l Weekly "snack & learn" presentations: 5%

* In pairs, design a 10 minute presentation on a topic of your choice: something relevant to a skills/knowledge area required for PR professional practice.

** In your first week seminar, you will sign up for a week to present (starting presentations in Week 2) - your topic does not need to be confirmed until the week before you present.

You will sign up for a week of your choice to present an informal but important learning topic to your peers. You can choose your own topic – but it must be relevant to the contemporary practice of public relations. Look ahead at the unit’s topics; think about what you’ve learned about in previous units for what you’d like to know more about. Make it useful and practical learning for your peers: some topic examples include:

l “how to prepare for an interview” l “creating an effective CV and/or LinkedIn profile”, l “writing impressive reports” l “passive versus active voice”, l “formatting creative documents” l "presentation skills to WOW your audience” l “tips to work best in teams” l “best online contribution systems for group work” l “how to run a focus group” l “why and how to gain work experience” l “networking skills to set yourself up for success in the PR industry”…etc.

Include key points and your personal insights and reflections on the topic. Make it interesting. Use creative methods to engage your peers and inspire them to learn from you. Feel free to bring into your discussion your research methods used in developing the topic presentation and readings that piqued your interest so that others can continue to learn from your reference list. Present in an active, engaging manner – in-front of the class. Use visuals as appropriate. Stick to your time limit.

** upload your presentation in *pdf format (or full notes if you create in a format that cannot be saved as a *pdf) to Turnitin no later than 5pm on the Monday before your presentation is due

Blog post and comments:

This is your opportunity to practice your ability to seek out an interview subject, prepare questions, conduct an interview and create a story that is suitable for your PUBR3000 audience from the interview results to write an editorial-style blog. You are also required to engage with others in your unit in response to their blog posts with your own constructive comments.

ALL BLOGS AND BLOG COMMENTS MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF TEACHING WEEK 10. HARD COPY HAND IN OF ALL CONTRIBUTIONS IS DUE IN WEEK 12, IN CLASS.

l Blog post – “PR practitioner profile article”: 10%

Identify, contact and conduct an interview with a PR practitioner (by phone, in-person, email, Skype – your choice, to suit you and your interview subject) for the purpose of writing a ‘profile’ piece.

You are required to interview a PR practitioner or someone who works with PR to get an holistic view of PR in contemporary practice. E.G. potential interview subjects include:

l PR practitioner – in-house corporate, non-profit, government- communications or consultancy/agency professional

l Marketing professional who works with PR l Journalist - how s/he works with PR practitioners l Blogger…etc.

The interview subject can be a local or international PR practitioner. You can ask any questions that you like so long as the outcome is a blog article that outlines who the PR practitioner is, what they do and the work they do with or directly in a PR role.

PURPOSE: to give you and your audience (other PUBR3000 students) an idea of what is involved in the day to day life of a contemporary PR practitioner.

You will sign up in Week 1 to commit to writing one [1] blog in a particular week.





Your PR practitioner profile blog article post is DUE for upload to Turnitin and the Contemporary Practice BLOG by 5pm on Monday of the week you are allocated to post (Monday before your seminar day of your chosen week for a total of x/10). * upload your blog copy in *Word *txt or *pdf format to Turnitin no later than 5pm on Monday before your blog is due. ** PRINT OFF FOR HARD COPY HAND IN - due Week 12, in class to local lecturer (along with your blog comments).

l Comments: 5%

You are also required to make five [5] comments during semester. 1 mark per comment if constructive, meaningful and unique in response - partial marks for less constructive comments.

Engage with each other on the blog - comment on classmates' blog posts: share ideas and provide feedback. *** PRINT OFF FOR HARD COPY HAND IN - due Week 12, in class to local lecturer (along with original blog post commented on).

In general:

Your seminar contributions will be assessed every week. Your final mark will be based on your participation in tutorials, your blog post and also your contribution of comments on others’ posts. Ideally all students will attend all classes.

If you do expect to be absent for any reason, it would be appreciated if you could inform your local lecturer in advance. Please email the tutor if you cannot attend class. Always be professional in your email writing, and state your unit title (e.g. PUBR3000) time and day details in the subject line.

NOTE: quality of participation is more important than quantity. Your participation score will be based on the impact and relevance of your contributions – mere attendance will not obtain marks. Participation will be assessed by your local lecturer using the marking grid provided on Blackboard.

For a rubric, see Blackboard > Assessments > Assessment 1. ALL BLOGS AND BLOG COMMENTS MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF TEACHING WEEK 10. HARD COPY HAND IN OF ALL CONTRIBUTIONS IS DUE IN WEEK 12, IN CLASS.

2. Assignment 1: Contemporary Issue Analysis (group/individual project) Weighting: 40%

Part 1. Presentation 15%: broken down into 10% group and 5% individual (maximum 15 minutes, plus Q&A time) Part 2. Written Report 25% (Length: 2,500 words +/- 10%, including media release and social media post)

This project will be carried out in small groups of 3-4 students. You will be required to identify a corporate issue which has been covered recently (in the past six months) or is being covered by consumer or business media. The issue will have affected an identified industry sector and you must select a specific organisation (non-profit or corporate) that is responding to the issue.

It is highly likely you will choose a company and issue which is currently in the news, and you will research its progress over half of the semester. You may choose any issue and any organisation affected by the issue – business or not-for-profit, local or overseas; but it MUST be a real issue and a real organisation.

** You are required to prepare a report and deliver a presentation (using PowerPoint or Prezi, or other visual tools) in class that covers issue background and issue analysis (in a media/literature review - an analysis of media coverage to date along with any academic articles to support your background and analysis), as well as strategic recommendations to the organisation's management team on how to manage the issue.

As part of your written report (and create this in your presentation content for examples of what you recommend as action), you are required to produce two finished examples of campaign materials, including a media release and social media post (Twitter, Facebook, or other platform). Your task is to present an overview of your issue (with background), situation analysis (why it is an issue) and recommendations (how to manage the issue) in as attractive and persuasive a manner as possible.





It is expected that you will have a clear grasp of the issue and situation facing the organisation and be able to provide a coherent summary of your key recommendations in your presentation.

For the presentation and the written report, approach the delivery and writing-style as if it is a "pitch." You are pitching as an advisory team to the organisation affected by the issue (you will take on the "role" of either internal PR team, or a consultancy - you choose; make it clear to the audience/class and your local lecturer who you are / who is your team - a consultancy or in-house PR team).

Your presentation should be visually appealing, succinct and focus on your key PR platform (recommendations in line with a particular strategy).

Your report must address and answer the following points, and can be formatted under the following suggested headings (or similar):

Introduction

Media/Literature Review that not only summarises, but rather compares, analyses and evaluates various articles for Background and Analysis of the issue:

l Issue background - A well-researched, concise but comprehensive overview of the selected issue. How did the issue arise? How has it been reported in the media to date? What are the major implications for the organisation/industry involved? If the issue is still ongoing, what do you anticipate will happen next and why?

l Issue analysis - Use the concepts and tools introduced so far in the course as a framework to understand and analyse the issue under consideration. How valuable are these tools in helping to interpret the situation? Naturally you need not refer to all the concepts discussed in the early weeks in class. Only those you believe are relevant to your case.

Case study - provide a clearly written account of what has happened to date in regards to the issue and how it affects the industry sector and the company in question specifically.

Strategic recommendations - Provide a concise set of recommendations to senior management of the organisation involved advising them how to address the issue. Don’t forget to include a brief rationale for your recommendations. However, please note that you are NOT required to produce a fully developed PR plan. The recommendations may be presented in dot point form as preferred strategies. You do not need to spell out how these strategies would be implemented. Tools for use / Artifacts As part of your written report (and create this in your presentation content for examples of what you recommend as action), you are required to produce two finished examples of campaign materials, including a media release and social media post (Twitter, Facebook, or other platform).

l Presentation (15%): Marks are given as a group (10/15%) and individually (5/15%). l Written report (25%): Your report will be approximately 2,500 words in length plus appendices (e.g.

media clippings, news releases etc.) setting out the background to the issue, together with an analysis utilising the concepts introduced in the early weeks of semester as a framework and research into the story as it unfolded to date in your case study, plus strategic recommendations to the company in question. The overall aim is to tie theory and practice together.

l Please use report style format and writing. You should follow normal report conventions and include a title page, executive summary and contents page. Your report should be appropriately bound and presented and use clearly numbered sections and sub-sections. Use Chicago 16 referencing (minimum 12 academic references plus 'grey literature' - blogs, websites, newspapers, tweets etc).





** All team members must contribute equally. An individual who does not contribute fairly, or who does not meet the agreed tasks by due dates may have marks deducted. The individual component of the presentation is in regards to each individual's preparedness (observed knowledge of the material), professional dress and body language, and clarity of voice - volume, tone etc. ** Keep a record of contributions, meetings minutes (a minimum of 3 meetings (4 if there are 4 people in your group/team), with each group member taking a turn at taking minutes and leading the meeting - minutes to include: date, time, duration, attendance, agree tasks, responsibilities, and due dates to ensure the project stays on track for deadline). Hard copy of meeting minutes is required with your group's written report (both hard copy and in the Turnitin submission) and is worth 5% of the total mark (see rubric).

Your group presentation will be marked in class and a rubric will be used to mark the written report on Blackboard. You will hand in a hard copy and submit via Turnitin.

3. Assignment 2: Issue Tracking and Response Report (individual project) Weighting: 35% Length: Written report, approximately 1,500-2,000 words, plus appendices and references

This will involve a desk-top crisis simulation IN CLASS (Weeks 11 & 12: Part 1 & Part 2), in which you will be required to role play in response to an unfolding hypothetical crisis scenario. This echoes industry practice. Large organisations will generally prepare for effective crisis management by conducting risk analysis and developing crisis communication plans outlining the roles, resources, structures, policies and processes that will be applied to manage communication during a crisis, should one eventuate. (The principles of effective crisis communication will be covered in class). The plan will then generally be tested and the corporate communication/PR team trained via a desk-top simulated crisis.

For the purposes of this assignment, you will work in small teams in-class – these teams will be randomly organised by your lecturer - but you will be marked individually. The simulation will take place in-class over a period of approximately two hours in Week 11, with further tasks requiring a response unveiled in Week 12.

You will be required to respond appropriately to the crisis as it unfolds - making key decisions (e.g.: to start media monitoring, prepare for a news conference, advise your CEO/spokesperson); and producing communication materials (e.g.: media releases, social media updates, staff advisories). A member of your team (the scribe) will keep a record of key decisions and actions taken. All team members will save work and have access to each other’s materials following the simulation in order to complete their own individual reflection summary reports. At the conclusion of the crisis simulation, you will discuss the experience with your team. Individually, you will have until the final day of your semester to prepare a summary report of your response, with recommendations on how to analyse and track an issue into the future.

The in-class simulation will be the basis for your written report, which will be a summary reflection on your in-class issue/crisis simulation activity. The scribe’s notes and all materials produced during the simulation will assist you in writing this report, and you will place some materials in an appendix as necessary when referred to in-text of your report.

** Your written report - summary of response and reflection: DUE Friday, Teaching Week 12 at 5pm via Turnitin (TII).





DETAILS: In a professional report, address the following *key areas* (bullet points beneath are suggested areas for discussion):

Summarise simulation/Introduction

l What were the key points in the roll-out of the scenario, and your team’s response step-by-step (brief description of scenario).

l This should also cover the following (sub-headings will be a suitable format): l Was it an issue or a crisis? Defend, define and explain (issue vs crisis) l Who were the stakeholders involved? - identify and classify

Your team's response (overview, of key decisions rather than every detail)

l How did everyone work together? (reactions / comfort-levels, abilities to work collaboratively and individually as needed)

l What strategic decisions did your group make? Explain what theories informed these decisions. l What tools did you use?

Your individual reflection

l Your individual response: what was your role; how did you feel; what actions were you required to take etc?

l Your individual reflection: what was done vs what should have been done (in hindsight)? l Refer to any case studies (best practice), current affairs examples and theories that inform your

reflection on what should have been done, or could have been done better. l REQUIRED: REWRITE ONE OF THE COMMUNICATION MATERIALS PRODUCED by yourself, or a

team member during the simulation (e.g.: media releases, social media updates, staff advisories) to discuss why and how it should be improved. (You can include this in the body of your report or in an appendix - you choose how to design.)

Your recommendations on how to track an issue

l Provide advice on what tools or practice could be utilised into the future so that the resulting communication manages any risk to the organisation's reputation

Discussion

l What have you thought of following the exercise/simulation that stands out as a key learning area? l How has this prepared you for a future career in PR or other professional role?

Conclusion

References - Chicago 16 (12 minimum).

Pass requirements

Must achieve an overall mark equal to or above 50%, and attempt all assessments and satisfactorily demonstrate achievement of the unit learning outcomes.

Fair assessment through moderation

Moderation describes a quality assurance process to ensure that assessments are appropriate to the learning outcomes, and that student work is evaluated consistently by assessors. Minimum standards for the moderation of assessment are described in the Assessment and Student Progression Manual, available from policies.curtin.edu.au/policies/teachingandlearning.cfm





http://policies.curtin.edu.au/policies/teachingandlearning.cfm

Late assessment policy

This ensures that the requirements for submission of assignments and other work to be assessed are fair, transparent, equitable, and that penalties are consistently applied.

1. All assessments students are required to submit will have a due date and time specified on this Unit Outline. 2. Students will be penalised by a deduction of ten percent per calendar day for a late assessment submission

(e.g. a mark equivalent to 10% of the total allocated for the assessment will be deducted from the marked value for every day that the assessment is late). This means that an assessment worth 20 marks will have two marks deducted per calendar day late. Hence if it was handed in three calendar days late and given a mark of 16/20, the student would receive 10/20. An assessment more than seven calendar days overdue will not be marked and will receive a mark of 0.

Assessment extension

A student unable to complete an assessment task by/on the original published date/time (e.g. examinations, tests) or due date/time (e.g. assignments) must apply for an assessment extension using the Assessment Extension form (available from the Forms page at students.curtin.edu.au/administration/) as prescribed by the Academic Registrar. It is the responsibility of the student to demonstrate and provide evidence for exceptional circumstances beyond the student's control that prevent them from completing/submitting the assessment task.

The student will be expected to lodge the form and supporting documentation with the unit coordinator before the assessment date/time or due date/time. An application may be accepted up to five working days after the date or due date of the assessment task where the student is able to provide an acceptable explanation as to why he or she was not able to submit the application prior to the assessment date. An application for an assessment extension will not be accepted after the date of the Board of Examiners' meeting.

Deferred assessments

Supplementary assessments

Supplementary assessments, if granted by the Board of Examiners, will have a due date or be held between 17/07/2017 and 28/07/2017 . Notification to students will be made after the Board of Examiners’ meeting via the Official Communications Channel (OCC) in OASIS.

It is the responsibility of students to be available to complete the requirements of a supplementary assessment. If your results show that you have been granted a supplementary assessment you should immediately check OASIS for details.

Reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities/health circumstances likely to impact on studies

A Curtin Access Plan (CAP) is a document that outlines the type and level of support required by a student with a disability or health condition to have equitable access to their studies at Curtin. This support can include alternative exam or test arrangements, study materials in accessible formats, access to Curtin’s facilities and services or other support as discussed with an advisor from Disability Services (disability.curtin.edu.au). Documentation is required from your treating Health Professional to confirm your health circumstances.

If you think you may be eligible for a CAP, please contact Disability Services. If you already have a CAP please provide it to the Unit Coordinator at the beginning of each study period.

If your results show that you have been granted a deferred assessment you should immediately check OASIS for details.

Deferred examinations/tests will be held from 17/07/2017 to 28/07/2017 . Notification to students will be made after the Board of Examiners’ meeting via the Official Communications Channel (OCC) in OASIS.





http://students.curtin.edu.au/administration/

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/CAP.htm

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/disability_services.htm

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/disablity_services_eligibility.htm#/health-and-wellbeing/10126.htm

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/contact_disability_services.htm

Referencing style

The referencing style for this unit is Chicago.

More information can be found on this style from the Library web site: http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/referencing.

Copyright © Curtin University. The course material for this unit is provided to you for your own research and study only. It is subject to copyright. It is a copyright infringement to make this material available on third party websites.

Academic Integrity (including plagiarism and cheating) Any conduct by a student that is dishonest or unfair in connection with any academic work is considered to be academic misconduct. Plagiarism and cheating are serious offences that will be investigated and may result in penalties such as reduced or zero grades, annulled units or even termination from the course. Assessments under investigation will not be given a mark until the matter is concluded. This may result in the unit grade being withheld or a grade of Fail Incomplete (F-IN) until a decision has been made by the Student Disciplinary Panel. This may impact on enrolment in further units/study periods.

Plagiarism occurs when work or property of another person is presented as one's own, without appropriate acknowledgement or referencing. Submitting work which has been produced by someone else (e.g. allowing or contracting another person to do the work for which you claim authorship) is also plagiarism. Submitted work is subjected to a plagiarism detection process, which may include the use of text matching systems or interviews with students to determine authorship.

Cheating includes (but is not limited to) asking or paying someone to complete an assessment task for you or any use of unauthorised materials or assistance during an examination or test.

From Semester 1, 2016, all incoming coursework students are required to complete Curtin’s Academic Integrity Program (AIP). If a student does not pass the program by the end of their first study period of enrolment at Curtin, their marks will be withheld until they pass. More information about the AIP can be found at: https://academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au/students/AIP.cfm

Refer to the Academic Integrity tab in Blackboard or academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au for more information, including student guidelines for avoiding plagiarism.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Expectations Curtin students are expected to have reliable internet access in order to connect to OASIS email and learning systems such as Blackboard and Library Services.

You may also require a computer or mobile device for preparing and submitting your work.

It is expected that you will Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to class whenever possible (fully charged, or bring a charger): e.g. laptop, tablet, smart phone. You will have a good understanding of all basic Word document creation and formatting functions, and be familiar with popular and established social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter as well as the blogging platforms of WordPress and/or Blogger. You should also have an existing LinkedIn profile.

For general ICT assistance, in the first instance please contact OASIS Student Support: oasisapps.curtin.edu.au/help/general/support.cfm

For specific assistance with any of the items listed below, please contact The Learning Centre: life.curtin.edu.au/learning-support/learning_centre.htm

l Using Blackboard, the I Drive and Back-Up files l Introduction to PowerPoint, Word and Excel





http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/referencing

https://academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au/students/AIP.cfm

http://academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au/

https://oasisapps.curtin.edu.au/help/general/support.cfm

http://life.curtin.edu.au/learning-support/learning_centre.htm

Additional information

REFRENCING STYLE: Chicago - refer to the 'Chicago 16 Style Reference Guide': http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/c.php?g=202308&p=1332976 ** Be aware of correct and full referencing requirements as well as the definition of plagiarism (including self- plagiarism). Incorrect and/or incomplete referencing and/or any type of plagiarism in your work can result in an alleged academic misconduct report and suspension of your results until an investigation is completed.

The Academic Integrity link has more information. http://academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au/local/docs/StudentPlagiarismGuide.pdf

Self-plagiarism: "You can NOT submit your own previously submitted or assessed work without permission or acknowledgement. You can NOT submit your own previously submitted or published work for publication elsewhere without permission or acknowledgement. This is known as self-plagiarism. Once you have submitted academic work for assessment or credit, it is considered dishonest to then submit the same work for further credit elsewhere."

PR STUDENT CHAPTER (PRSC): All students on the Bentley campus selecting a PR major should sign-up for membership to the PR Student Chapter (PRSC). Great events and opportunity to meet other PR students. Ask your tutor for more information or go direct to join PRSC and find out more:

Join PRSC: http://www.curtinprsc.com/join.html

Webpage: www.curtinprsc.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curtin-Public-Relations-Student-Chapter-PRSC/168867956500824

Twitter: @CurtinPRSC Instagram: CurtinPRSC Email: [email protected]

INDUSTRY LINKS:

Students are encouraged to visit the websites of industry associations to gain a greater understanding of the world of public relations across the globe.

Public Relations Institute of Australia www.pria.com.au

l ** PRIA offers Curtin PR students access to a FREE PRelationship: bit.ly/PRelationshipUniversity (or http://www.pria.com.au/membership/type/prelationship-university) - ask your tutor for the special Curtin code.

Institute of Public Relations Malaysia www.iprm.org.my Institute of Public Relations Singapore www.iprs.org.sg

Public Relations Society of America www.prsa.org

International Public Relations Association www.ipra.org

Chartered Institute of Public Relations www.cipr.co.uk

Global Alliance PR www.globalalliancepr.org

International Association of Business Communicators www.iabc.com

Golden Target Awards (of the PRIA) -- Case Studies (UTS database) http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/gta

Enrolment

It is your responsibility to ensure that your enrolment is correct - you can check your enrolment through the eStudent option on OASIS, where you can also print an Enrolment Advice.





http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/c.php?g=202308&p=1332976

http://academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au/local/docs/StudentPlagiarismGuide.pdf

http://www.curtinprsc.com/join.html

http://www.curtinprsc.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curtin-Public-Relations-Student-Chapter-PRSC/16886795650082

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curtin-Public-Relations-Student-Chapter-PRSC/168867956500824

http://www.pria.com.au/

http://bit.ly/PRelationshipUniversity

http://www.pria.com.au/membership/type/prelationship-university

http://www.iprm.org.my/

http://www.iprs.org.sg/

http://www.prsa.org/

http://www.ipra.org/

http://www.cipr.co.uk/

http://www.globalalliancepr.org/

http://www.iabc.com/

http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/gta

Student Rights and Responsibilities It is the responsibility of every student to be aware of all relevant legislation, policies and procedures relating to their rights and responsibilities as a student. These include:

l the Student Charter l Values and Signature Behaviours l the University's policy and statements on plagiarism and academic integrity l copyright principles and responsibilities l the University's policies on appropriate use of software and computer facilities

Information on all these things is available through the University's "Student Rights and Responsibilities" website at: students.curtin.edu.au/rights.

Student Equity There are a number of factors that might disadvantage some students from participating in their studies or assessments to the best of their ability, under standard conditions. These factors may include a disability or medical condition (e.g. mental illness, chronic illness, physical or sensory disability, learning disability), significant family responsibilities, pregnancy, religious practices, living in a remote location or another reason. If you believe you may be unfairly disadvantaged on these or other grounds please contact Student Equity at [email protected] or go to http://eesj.curtin.edu.au/student_equity/index.cfm for more information

You can also contact Counselling and Disability services: http://www.disability.curtin.edu.au or the Multi-faith services: http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/about_multifaith_services.htm for further information.

It is important to note that the staff of the university may not be able to meet your needs if they are not informed of your individual circumstances so please get in touch with the appropriate service if you require assistance. For general wellbeing concerns or advice please contact Curtin's Student Wellbeing Advisory Service at: http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/student_wellbeing_service.htm

Recent unit changes Students are encouraged to provide unit feedback through eVALUate, Curtin's online student feedback system. For more information about eVALUate, please refer to evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/.

Recent changes to this unit include:

This is a dynamic unit under reconstruction as contemporary practice evolves, combining many of the elements and content of two previous units which focused on corporate public relations and on consultancy practice. The crisis simulation has been reintroduced. The Media/Literature Review to inform a professional practice Case Study is now incorporated into one group assignment requiring a presentation as well as a written report. The highly successful, educational and entertaining "snack & learns" continue, along with the blog profile article with a PR professional; the latter two assessments are part of a professional development skills component.

To view previous student feedback about this unit, search for the Unit Summary Report at https://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/student/unit_search.cfm. See https://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/dates.cfm to find out when you can eVALUate this unit.





http://students.curtin.edu.au/rights/

mailto:[email protected]

http://eesj.curtin.edu.au/student_equity/index.cfm

http://www.disability.curtin.edu.au/

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/about_multifaith_services.htm

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/student_wellbeing_service.htm

http://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/index.cfm

https://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/student/unit_search.cfm

https://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/dates.cfm

Program calendar

Teaching Week

Begin Date Topic Readings Assessments DUE

Orientation 20 February Orientation Week

1. 27 February Introduction (unit overview) & Evolution of Contemporary Practice

Unit Outline.

Cornelissen, J. – Chapters 1 & 2

** PLUS additional materials each week

on Blackboard / READING LIST **

2. 6 March Stakeholder Management &

Corporate Reputation


Black, C. – Chapter 6

Finalise groups for Ass-1

Snack & Learns

3. 13 March Issues Management & Public Affairs

Cornelissen, J. – Chapter 10


Groups to select & inform lecturer of Ass-1 issue &

organisation choice

Snack & Learns

4. 20 March Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)


Bring to seminar your drafted notes for Ass-1

Snack & Learns

5. 27 March Ass-1

Group Presentations

DUE: Presentations in class

6. 3 April Community Relations DUE: Contemporary Issue

Analysis upload report to Turnitin

by 5pm Monday & hard copy in class

Snack & Learns

10 April Tuition Free Week

17 April Tuition Free Week

7. 24 April NO CLASS: ANZAC DAY

Online materials

New Media: Digital/Social PR






8.

1 May

Employee & Change Communication


Snack & Learn

9. 8 May Crisis Communication


Snack & Learns

10. 15 May Creativity & Strategy

(preparation for issue/crisis simulation and reflection report)



Prepare for Crisis Simulation

& Ass-2 Reflection Report

** ALL BLOG POSTS AND COMMENTS MUST BE

COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS WEEK

Snack & Learns

11. 22 May In-class Issue/crisis simulation:

Part 1

12. 29 May In-class Issue/crisis simulation:

Part 2

Debriefing

DUE: Issue Tracking & Response

Report upload to Turnitin by 5pm

Friday

** BLOG POSTS AND COMMENTS

hand in hard copies in class

5 June Study Week

12 June Examinations

19 June Examinations





curtin learning and teaching - pubr3000 contemporary...

Documents